Smug

Highly realistic portraits, at times close-ups, interacting with the surroundings/passengers or completely absorbed in their own depicted scenery. Smug’s large painted characters come close to photography, detailed as they are. Unusual for such realism is how Smug only uses spray cans. Notice how his use of shade adds depth, just as his contrasting colors do. Smug, currently located in Glasgow, is an Australian artist, who gives life to the characters he creates with their facial expressions. Sam Bates is his real name and he followed the well-known path towards street art, starting with the writing of various names on walls. Somehow ‘Smug’ was the one that stuck.